Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 17390, Aaron Downs, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Downs, Aaron
S. 17390
carded
CONTENTS

name 27.989
Aaron Doush of York in the State of Maine who was a Pr. in the Comfy commande by Captain Holden of the ——— commande in the Maine Mila- lia for 8 months.
Inscribed on the Roll of Maine at the rate of 2 1/2 — Dollars 66 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 14 th day of Nov. 34. and sent to A. H. Day South Berwick Maine —
Arrears to the 4th of Sept. 34 $ 92.31 Semi-ant. allowance ending Mar 4-35. 13.33 $ 106.64
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Nath: Rice Clerk Book C Vol. 1 Page 12

State of Maine
Aaron Downs
8 mo.
N o 5581
British left Boston 17 March 1776
return to Wm D Hayes South Berwick Maine

State of Maine.
COUNTY OF YORK, SS,
ON this fifteenth day of August 1832 personally appeared in open court, before the Court of  Amos Dows now sitting at South Berwick within & on the county of York a resident of Maine aged Seventy years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated.
I am now aged 78 - was born in Berwick, where I have always lived, on the 1st day of August in 1759. In the first part of the Revolutionary War, the year or month I do not recollect, I volunteered to join a Company of Militia, and went as soldier to Britton's point in Maine. Stephen Woodson of Berwick was our Captain. No other troops were there but Capt. Woodson's Company - consisting of about sixty men. Being very young while there, I do not now remember the name of the Lieutenant or Ensign. We did fatigue duty on the Fort - I served two months , was discharged, & returned home. The Company was stationed there to prevent the landing of the British.
Afterwards, I cannot state the precise time, I volunteered to go to Roxbury under Amos Roberts as Capt. & Aaron Hanson Lieutenant - was of the Massachusetts Militia. The Company was first mustered at Berwick Landing - then marched to Roxbury - seven or eight Companies were stationed there. We were employed in building breast-works. The Enemy was then in Boston. I could see their guard on the Neck. Was there two months. Returned home. John Stearns, Samuel Grant, Noah Wentworth, & Samuel Downes were with me during this time, and belonged to the same Company - but are all dead. Edward Grant saw me there doing duty as a soldier. but I cannot prove this service except by oral testimony of aforesaid Afterwards volunteered in a Company of Massachusetts Militia under Capt. Leighton of Britton - the other officers I do not recollect. The Company mustered at Berwick Landing & marched to Dorchester. I was there when the British left Boston. I went on Dorchester Heights one evening with a great number of troops, and worked all night building a fort. I also, while there helped to fill many hogsheads of stones, & tied them with ropes to stakes in order to roll them on the Enemy in case they should come to attack us. I stayed there four months at work on the Forts, & hearing some of the bricks at the Castle which the British had blown up. I saw many of the Continental Officers, I remember Generals Washington & Putnam. Having served the above period of four months, I returned home. I never had any written discharge, and have no written evidence of any service. I know of no one living except Jonathan Henson who saw me at Dorchester. Benjamin Downes & Thomas Downes, whom I recollect were with me, are now dead.
The first service above named, I can prove by Jonathan Henson and David Henson, who served with me, and their depositions are herewith

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State, or (if any) only on that of the agency of the State of
Thomas Charles M. Cogswell
SWORN TO, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
Aaron
his
Downs
marks
WE, Joseph Hilliard , a clergyman, residing in the town of Bethwick , and Ephraim Tabbett , residing in the town of Bethwick Esopus , hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Aaron Downs , who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy three years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
SWORN TO, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
Joseph Hilliard Ephraim Tabbett
AND the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the abovenamed applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. And the court further certifies, that it appears to them that Joseph Hilliard , who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in the town of Bethwick Maine , and that Ephraim Tabbett , who has also signed the same, is a resident in the town of Bethwick and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I, Wm. Cutter Allen , Register of the Court of Probate aforesaid, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Aaron Downs for a pension.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this fifteenth day of August A.D. 1832.
Wm. Cutter Allen, Register of Probate.

State of Maine, -
county of York ss. On this twelfth day of August in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred & thirty four personally appeared before William Allen Hayes judge of Probate within & for the county of York in the state of Maine, Aaron Denny a resident of Berwick in the county of York & state of Maine aged seventy five years, who is so sick & feeble as to be unable to travel & attend court, and who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in addition & in amendment of his former declaration, dated August the fifteenth A.D. 1832 - which is hereto annexed, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th A.D. 1832 - I was born in Berwick where I now live on the first day of August A.D. 1739 shall be seventy I have no record of my age & believe no such record exists - I was born in Berwick, lived there before I served in the Revolutionary war & have lived there ever since - I entered the United States service & served as herein stated. In August 1775, as near as I can recollect the fifteenth day I volunteered to join a company of Massachusetts Militia raised by Capt Stephen Woodson of Berwick - I enlisted to serve two months, & did duty at Kitty Point in building a fort. James Goodwin was the Lieutenant & Gilbert Warren Ensign. I was regularly discharged but not in writing - No other

officer on troops were there, but our company, A British ship of War was off Portsmouth the harbour of War were stationed there to prevent the British from landing - I can prove this service by Jonathan & David Henson who served with me
In Lebanon, I think, on or about the first, in the year seventeen hundred & seventy five, I again volunteered to join a company of Massachusetts Militia commanded by Capt James Robarts. for two months - I joined the company and to Bricksburg, remained there & at Dorchester doing duty for two months, & was discharged, but not in writing - I was at Dorchester doing duty under Capt James Robarts when the British left Boston I can prove this service by the same David & Jonathan Henson - & I hope by Jonathan Welch, if he is living, who served with me - -
Again in the summer of seventeen hundred and seventy five about the tenth of July I enlisted to join Capt Samuel Leighton's company of Massachusetts Militia for four months - I marched with the company to Dorchester, was employed there & on the battle, doing duty as a soldier - for the term of four months, & was discharged - I had no discharge in writing - I remember seeing General Washington, Col. Francis - & other Generals & field officers - I can prove this service by the same Jonathan Henson - In my former state. ment I listed my services at different seasons of the year, which I find from conversation with my fellow soldiers was erroneous, but

I now think I am correct. I am sure I served two months at Hittingy under Stephen Hodsdon - two months at Boxbury of Dorchester under Capt James Bobbitt & four months at Dorchester & at Castle Island under Capt Samuel Beighton.
Witness - Wm. A. Hayes } Aaron Davis Marks -
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid Before me Wm. A. Hayes Judge of said Probate Court.
And now William Allen Hayes Judge of said Probate Court declares his opinion, after the investi- gation of the matter, & after putting the interrog- atories prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a revolution- ary soldier & served as he states - And the said Judge further certifies that he is well acquainted with Jonathan Hensam, David Hensam & Edward Grant, who have signed & sworn to affidavits annexed to the said Aaron Davis original application for a pension to which this is an amendment, & that the said Jonathan Hensam David Hensam & Edward Grant are credible persons & their statements are entitled to full confidence.
Wm. A. Hayes, Judge of Probate Court York County State of Maine.

State of Maine.
York county ss.
I William Cutter Allen, Register of the Court of Probate for said County, hereby certify that William A. Hazzes is the Judge of the Court of Probate for the county of York aforesaid, and that the foregoing signatures, purporting to be his are genuine. I also further certify that Charles N. Cogswell is a Justice of the Peace within and for said county and that the signature to the annexed certificate, purporting to be his, is genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court this eighteenth day of August, A.D. 1832.
Wm. Cutter Allen, Register of the Court of Probate.

Planchas D'argent Déposition 3

I Phinehas Dews of Somersworth in the county of Strafford & state of New Hampshire Yeoman, aged seventy eight depose & say that during the first part of the revolutionary war, I think in the autumn of the year 1776 - James Brabentz of Berwick then wished to raise a company of Militia to go on to Brooksbury on Cambridge. I then enlisted to go & serve in said company, my brother Samuel Dews & my cousin Aaron Dews both enlisted at the time I did to serve in Capt. James Brabentz company. After I had enlisted & was fully prepared to join the company, my father insisted on taking my place in the company & compelled me to stay at home - I saw my father & Aaron Dews in James Brabentz company when they marched from the vicinity of Boston. The company was enlisted for two months my father & Aaron Dews served the two months & returned home together, but not till after the British left Boston - I have often heard my father speak of Aaron Dews & serving with him in James Brabentz company, & living together in the same mess - I never lived & have never lived when I was born, - Capt. James Brabentz lived in Berwick about two miles from me, & the said Aaron Dews also lived in Berwick about three miles from my residence.
Witness Mr. A. Hayes - Phinehas his Dews
State of Maine York ss. Monks August 12th 1834 -
Then personally appeared the above named Phinehas Dews whom I know to be a person of truth & veracity & entitled to full credit & made oath to the foregoing deposition by him signed Before me Wm. H. Hayes Judge Prob.

David Hansung Deposition

I David Henson of Berwick in the county of York & state of Maine aged seventy four do hereby say that in the latter part of the summer of the year seventeen hundred & seventy five I think in August - Stephen Hodsdon of Berwick raised a company of volunteers to go to Kittery Point below Portsmouth N.H. to protect the inhab- itants from the British, who were then expected to land. I volunteered to serve two months in said company which I did. I was discharged - Aaron Dens who is about my age, & who was born & has always lived near me, volunteered at the time I did to serve in said Hodsdons company. He served the two months with me at Kittery point, we were employed in building a fort during the time we served - He was discharged after the two months service & returned home with me.
In February 1776 I belonged to the continental Army and was stationed at Winter- Hill near Boston - and while there capt. James Roberts of Berwick who was my neighbour when at home, came on with a company of Militia who were nearly all from Berwick & my neighbours - I recollect of seeing many of the company; Aaron Dens whom I have known from childhood was one of capt. James

Roberts company, & served two months. He was on duty there when the British left Boston but the precise time he left I cannot state, I have no doubt he served two months with his company - David Hanson
State of Maine York ss. Then personally ap- August 19 th AD 1834 peared the said David Hanson who is known to me to be a person of truth & veracity, & en- titled to full cred it & made oath to the foregoing Deposition by him subscribed -
Before me, Wm. A. Hays judge of Probate Court.

Jonathan Henshaw's Deposition

I Jonathan Henson of Berwick in the county of York & state of Maine, aged seventy five depose and say that I was born in Berwick where I now reside, & that Aaron Dous was born & brought up in Berwick, about one mile from where we have always lived in the same neighbourhood & been intimately acquainted with each other. In the summer of 1775, I think, a British ship of war called the Scarborough was at Kittery Point below Portsmouth, & fears were entertained that she might land & burn Portsmouth or do other injury, a company was raised by Capt Stephen Hodsdon to go down & protect the inhabitants & I volunteered & went to Kittery Point & served two months, Aaron Dous also volunteered, went to Kittery with us, served two months with us, was discharged when the company was & returned home with us. I am confident Aaron Dous served the two months with us at Kittery Point under Stephen Hodsdon captain, & James Goodwin of Berwick Lieutenant.
Capt James Robarts was born & always lived within a mile of me in Berwick, in the the year 1776 I think in February Capt James Robarts raised a company in our neighbourhood to go to the neighbourhood of Boston when the British had possession of Boston - I well remember that Aaron Dous went on with James Robarts company & returned with them after the British left Boston having been absent about two months. I have often heard it said that Aaron Dous served in James Robarts company & was on the heights of

Dorchester when the British left Boston, Ichabod Sabbeths my near neighbour served in said Brabant's company with Aaron Darrow & returned with him. This Ichabod Sabbeths died about four years since I know of no one living who served with Darrow under James Brabant.
In the summer of 1776, I think in July I enlisted in Capt Samuel Leighton's company of Militia to go to Dorchester in Massachusetts. I went there & served four months. My same neighbour Aaron Darrow volunteered to serve in said Leighton's company served there four months, was discharged when I was & returned home with me in the last of the year 1776. The two months service under Capt Woodson & the four months service under Capt Leighton Aaron Darrow served with me & was discharged when I was, & I am as confi- dent that he served two months under James Brabant as he has stated, as I should be if I were present & served with him - having known when he went on & when he returned - 3
Jonathan Henson
Sworn to & subscribed this 12th of August A.D. 1834
Before me Wm. A. Hayes judge of
Probate Court, York County, Maine And I do further certify that I am well acquainted with said Jonathan Henson & that he is a person en- titled to full credit for truth & veracity -
Wm. A. Hayes judge of Probate

I Jonathan Welch of Wells in the county of York & State of Maine aged eighty three years depose & say that near the first of February in the year seventeen hundred and seventy five I volunteered to join a company of Massachusetts Militia commanded by Capt. James Proben's of Berwick, Aaron Dows of Berwick was a soldier with me in said company. We both volunteered to serve two months, served the said two months at Roxbury & at Dorchester near Boston in Massachusetts. The same Aaron Dows now living in Berwick was with me at Dorchester when the British left Boston. I now draw a pension for this same service which I rendered with said Aaron Dows. I remember that Aaron Dows was a good soldier did his duty faithfully & was honorably discharged when I was after having served two months the time for which he enlisted.
Witness
Wm. H. Hayes
Jonathan his Welch Mark
State of Maine York Co. This 25 th day of August A D 1834. Then personally appeared the above named Jonathan Welch who is known to me to be a person of truth & veracity & entitled to full credit, & made oath to the truth of the foregoing deposition by him signed. Before me Wm. H. Hayes Judge C. C.

State of Maine
I Charles N. Cogswell a Justice of the Peace for and within the county of York, before whom were subscribed & sworn to the several Affidavits of Jonathan Hearn David Hearn and Edward Grant relative to the Revolutionary Services of Aaron Downs, hereby certify that said Jonathan, David, and Edward are respectable Citizens of the town of Berwick in said county, who have been long resident therein, that they have for many years past been personally known to the undersigned, and that their Statements under Oath are en- titled to the fullest Credit
Charles N. Cogswell Justice of the Peace

Sept. 23 1834
A. Hayes
NAME
To Benwick Sept 24
Brookhaven
Glance
should get certificate
see official
Free
Dear Ladies S. Edwards Commissioner of Pensions Washington

South Berwick Sept. 23 1834
Hon. James L. D. Edwards
Sir Sir
I enclose the papers of Aaron Young for a pension. I have no manner of doubt, but he rendered the services as in his amended declaration set forth. He is old & poor & would be pleased to have his pension certificate forwarded to me as soon as convenient,
Respectfully, Yours &
Wm. A. Hayes

17 390 INVALID.
File No. 17 390
Aaron Downs
Pr. Rev. Mar
Act: June 7 th 39
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 101
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Hana. Heorun
[Faint, mirrored handwritten text, likely bleed-through from the reverse side of the page]

I, Jonathan Hoxson resident in the Town of Berwick County of York and State of Maine aged 74 years hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Aaron Downs who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, and I believe him to be seventy three years of age; that I know he rendered the services for four months as by him set forth, because I served with him in the same Company. at and near Dorchester —
Jonathan Hoxson
State of Maine
York County Ss
August 15th 1832
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
660
Justice of the Peace
We Jonathan Hoxson aged 74 years and David Hoxson aged 72 years both resident in Berwick, in the County of York and State of Maine hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Aaron Downs who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, and we believe him to be 73 years of age, and that we know that he rendered the services for two months, as by him set forth, at Netcong point, because we served with him in the same Company —
Jonathan Hoxson David Hoxson
State of Maine
York County Ss.
August 15th 1832
Subscribed and sworn to the day and year above named
Charles N. Cogswell Justice of the Peace

I Richard Grant of Berwick in the County of York and State of Maine aged 76 years do hereby testify & depose that I am well acquainted with Aaron Downs of Berwick & that I believe him to be 73 years old, and that I know that he served the two months at Roxbury by him above set forth in his declaration, because I saw him there while on duty — I belonged to the Continental troops at that time.
E. D. Lord Jr.
York ss. August 15th 1832
Subscribed and sworn to the day and year last above named
before me Charles N. Cogswell Justice of the Peace
State of Maine.
YORK, ss.
I, WILLIAM CUTTER ALLEN, Register of Probate, for the County of York, hereby certify that Charles N. Cogswell is a Justice of the Peace for said County of York as above stated, and that the foregoing signature purporting to be his, is genuine.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official Seal, this fifteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two.
Wm. Cutter Allen,
Register of Probate.